Regulation of pancreatic amylase by dietary carbohydrate in chronic alcoholic rats

The nutritional adequacy of dietary ingredients is essential for optimal food consumption and growth of animals. Dietary carbohydrate levels regulate pancreatic amylase synthesis. Ethanol diets with 36% of total calories from ethanol and 11% from carbohydrate are nutritionally inadequate, whereas a 26% ethanol diet made isocaloric to the 36% alcohol diet by the addition of maltose-dextrins provides all nutrients in amounts recommended for normal growth. Young rats fed the modified ethanol diet for 3 months consume 101.4 ml of diet daily compared to 66.5 ml by those on the 36% ethanol diet. Increased food consumption results in (a) similar amounts of alcohol consumption (3.6 vs. 3.3 g/day), (b) a threefold enhancement in carbohydrate intake (5.1 vs. 1.7 g/day), and (c) a normal growth rate (6.7 vs. 3.1 g/day). Both the acinar content of amylase (20.2 +/- 0.3 micrograms/mg of protein) and the acinar response to cholecystokinin-octapeptide in 36% ethanol diet-fed rats are significantly reduced compared to those of 26% ethanol diet-fed rats (34.1 +/- 5.6 micrograms/mg of protein). These results confirm (a) the nutritional adequacy of the 26% ethanol diet compared to the 36% ethanol diet, and (b) that carbohydrate inadequacy, and not ethanol consumption per se, is the primary cause of pancreatic amylase insufficiency in chronic alcoholic rats.